NEW KING OF SYRIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1920, Page 6

NEW KING OF SYRIA.

HOME RULE FOR LEBASONS. ■ PALESTINE'S FUTURE. Emir Feisal, the great Arab cliief, lias been crowned King of Syria, being nominated by the Syrian Congress at Damascus. The new King it present resides in a "simple grey painted house set amid trees oh the hill sid« looking down on the orchards of Dasmnseus." . To a special correspondent ol the Daily Mail he said: "Our action is justified because the- Allies promised ■us long ago an independent Arili kingdom. But what immediately foeed the Pan-Syrian Congress to take the .-"tep of proclaiming Syrian independence was the never-ending delay of the Peace Conference to come to some decision."' NO IMPERIAL PART. Tn the Journal (Jes Debats, M. Augnste Gauvain examines the situation created for France by the proclamation of Syrian independence and the policy wh-eh she should pursue towards the Emir Feisal The Emir, he thinks, might be left at Damascus, and a limited authority allowed to him, but he must not be assisted in imposing his rule over those sections of the population which, rejecting his sovereignty, turns towards France. M. Gauvain finds a solution for the problem in the establishment of a Syrian confederation, in which France would play the part of arbiter, The Emir Feisal could have an important place in this confederation if "he consented to limit his ambitions, but he must not be encouraged to aspire to play "an Imperial part." The moment has come, in the writer's opinion, for the friends of France in Syria to oppose to the Congress of Damascus another properly-con-stituted congress.

THE PEOPLE OF THE LEBANONS OBJECT. "The Mokattam has obtained the following from persons who have just arrived from the Lebanon," says the Times Cairo eo, respondent, "After the decision of the Syrian Congress the Administrative Council of the Lebanon met to consider the Lebanese question. While they were deliberating they received an intimation from General Gouraud to see him. This they did, being well received. ' ' "General Gouraud asked them to protest against the decision of the Damascus Congress. One of the leading members, a Maronite, replied that he had been thinking of protesting in order to maintain the independence 4K the Lebanon and guarantee the interests of the mountain, which had already advanced far on the road leading to independence. "The Council subsequently met and decided to hold a general Lebanese Congress, to hoist, the Lebanese flag everywhere, to prepare a constitution and declare the complete independence of the Lebanon with the assistance of the French, provided that the latter did not encroach on the liberties of the mountain." j ALLIES AND EMIR FEISAL. "Concern for 'Peace Conference discipline' has prompted the British and French Governments to warn the Emir Fcifl|al, that his personal sovereignty over areas whose future status has still to be settled by the Supreme Council cannot be recognised by them until the sanction of the Council has been first sought and obtained," .says a diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. ''At the same time, it is understood that, provided the Emir should comply with the demands made upon him by the Supreme Council and show a moderate and conciliatory mooil in the impending negotiations, this claim will be treated with every consideration. "Given certain guarantees, administrative and, especially, economic, there will be no inclination on the part of | either ourselves or the French to press for the direct, control, whether of the | Syrian interior or the Upper Mesopotamia. On the other hand, the Emir's | titular sovereignty, even if confirmed by the Supreme Council, will not be permitted to obstruct the French mandate over Lebanon or the British mandate over Palestine. London and Paris are in complete agreement as to this." Asked what was the attitude of his Government towards the Lebanon (the mountain region of Syria), the new King of Syria replied: "Tlio Lebanon 'may have entire independence, provided it does not place 1 itself definitely in foreign occupation." SYRTAX DECLARATION. Here arc the terms in which the National Conference of» 117 members drew up their declaration of Independence in Damascus:— "The Conference declares: (1) The complete independence of Syria within its natural boundaries from Sinai to the Taurus, and from the Syrian Desert to the sea, without any protectorate, mandate or any form of foreign interference; (2) the proclamation of Emir Feisnl as King of Syria; (3) compulsory military service: (4) the notification of the representatives of the European powers and of the Peace Conference at Paris, of this decision."